Olson Family

The Elephant in the Room

2012-02-17T22:50:00.001-07:00

This is how Adelle tucked herself in bed tonight. The elephant also said his prayers and needed a kiss from Mommy before going to sleep. (ps...Alexa, Grace, and Adelle are all sleeping on the floor in their sleeping bags!)

My sweet babies

2012-02-12T14:53:00.000-07:00

I really do believe that I have the sweetest, most amazing daughters. I know a lot of mothers would argue with me, and they should, but that doesn't change my feelings. :0)

Last night Phillip and I were enjoying ourselves on a rare night out. We were spending time with several other couples in our ward. About an hour into the party our neice called (she was watching the girls) to tell us that Sophie threw up. Ugh. I loathe vomit. So we said our goodbyes and came home to a very sad, very needy baby. While Phillip drove our neice and nephews home I laid with Sophie to put her to sleep while our older girls watched a movie. About 30 minutes later I came out of my room to see Grace tucked into bed. "Is Daddy home?" I asked her. "No, Alexa tucked me in!" My sweet, grown-up, insightful little eight year old helped get her sisters ready for bed, brushed Grace's teeth and tucked her in. She knew Sophie needed her mommy so Alexa stepped up to make my night a little easier. I'm so proud of her!

Our little Sophie baby is a spunky, determined little thing! She knows what she wants and she knows exactly how to communicate her desires. The other afternoon Phillip was giving me some loving in the kitchen when Sophie crawled up the stairs as fast as she could screaming, "NO! DOHT!" Then she ran up to us and grabbed my leg to pull me away from Phillip. Geez! What's a girl got to do to get a kiss from her husband?! Needless to say we had a good laugh over that one!

Fort!

2012-01-31T21:50:00.001-07:00

This is where the girls have been sleeping the past three nights! I made them a fort on the floor at the foot of our bed. They have been having so much fun with their little flashlights reading books and camping out together. And I must admit, I LOVE knowing all four of my girls are safe and sound in our room. (even Sophie sleeps in our room, although that's a nightly thing!)

Prayer

2012-01-31T21:46:00.001-07:00

Tonight in Adelle's prayer she asked that Heavenly Father "please bless the Holy Ghost so strangers won't get him." And "please bless the Holy Ghost so nobody will eat him." She also recently asked that Heavenly Father "please bless that Mommy will do the laundry." What?! (ok, so I was a little behind...) I love listening to this girl pray!

Cool Girl

2012-01-13T21:49:00.001-07:00

This is how Sophie took her nap this afternoon. Is that just too cute?!

My reward

2012-01-12T21:10:00.001-07:00

Phillip is at school right now so I'm on my own getting the girls to bed. This is not an easy task and tonight has been an unusually rough night. There was a mysterious substance residing at the bottom of the bathtub. I'm still hoping it was pieces of the chocolate chip cookie I let Sophie eat in the tub, although I can't be sure. Regardless, it made it difficult to keep the rest of the girls calm while I quickly bathed them. Then, Sophie pooped on the floor in her bedroom. On the carpet. Gag! I guess I should have put her diaper on sooner! I think I cleaned up each spot of her trail of poo from her room to the bathroom. Back in the bath for Sophie! And this time I know exactly what was in the water. Gross! Adelle changed her jammies three times before settling on some warm fuzzy pink ones, but only after throwing a fit because I wouldn't let her wear a swimsuit to bed. Oh summer, how we miss you. (Doesn't every mother let their daughter wear a swimsuit to bed during the summer?)

Now here is my reward. The girls love sleeping in our bed. We have a king size bed just for this reason. Alexa, Grace, and Adelle are snuggling together on mine and Phillip's pillows while I snuggle Sophie to sleep at the foot of the bed. How I love my big bed! Sophie habitually relaxes herself by running her fingers through my hair and tonight is no exception. She just finished singing herself to sleep. Grace was calm and relaxed without her usual anxieties and gagging episodes that occur at bedtime. I can hear the other three girls deeply breathing and I think, "life is good". I can't help but say a prayer and thank Heavenly Father for this moment. I needed this.

Tom and Jerry

2012-01-05T10:16:00.001-07:00

When Adelle is tired she likes to lay in my bed and watch "Tom and Jerry" cartoons. Today she told me, "Mom the cat's name is Tomin, and he's mean to the mouse named Jerry." Tom and Jerry, or Tomin Jerry. It's all the same!

Poor Barbie

2012-01-02T11:09:00.000-07:00

Phillip: Adelle, is your Barbie sick?
Adelle: No, she's dead
Phillip: Oh no, how did she die?
Adelle: Ken ran over her with his car.
Phillip: Why?!
Adelle: Ken didn't like her anymore so he killed her with his car

Phillip to me: This is like something out of a soap opera!

Consequences

2011-12-27T22:50:00.004-07:00

This evening I sewed a cord cover for a lamp hanging in my family room. I put my sewing needle in a drawer of the tv armoir where I've been keeping my sewing stuff (I was hiding the quilt the girls and I made for Phillip there). This is the same drawer we keep our wii games and remotes. The spirit told me not to put it there since that drawer gets used so much, but I ignored the prompting since I was in a hurry. An hour later Alexa was getting ready to play the wii, the needle fell out, and she stepped on it. It broke in her foot and she spent a painful hour and a half at the doctor's office while he dug the broken piece out. What a way for me to learn a lesson! Why couldn't it be me who stepped on it?! Better yet, why didn't I listen to the prompting of the Holy Ghost. Ugh.

Cheerios

2011-12-21T14:40:00.001-07:00

I'm letting Sophie pick Cheerios off the floor and eat them while I work on Christmas gifts, and she is very happy. Does that make me a bad mom, or a mom with wisdom under her belt?

Which child...?

2011-12-21T10:57:00.004-07:00

My grandma cut this article out of the newspaper and gave it to me today.

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/705394839/Which-child-has-the-disability.html
(Be sure to read both pages)

I read it and felt a wave of many different emotions in a very short period of time.

I felt angry, appalled, reminiscent, sad, and then grateful.

I will never forget the day, just before Christmas in 2004, when Phillip and I sat in the doctor's office and we were told our precious little girl would be born with

Spina Bifida.

As if that isn't enough to bear, I will never forget the moments following when the genetic counselor asked if we wanted to continue with the pregnancy.

WHAT?!

Of course we would!

And we would give birth to our child and love her with everything we have, treat her with all the kindness and love that we treated our other daughter, and give her the best life possible.

It saddens me, and frightens me, that a woman can take a "simple blood test" and decide that her unborn child isn't perfect enough for her, then end that child's life before it even began! I appreciate the question this article poses...

"What is the definition of a disabled child?...The one who cannot love or the one who cannot perform calculus?"

I am grateful every day for my "disabled" child.

So what if she doesn't read as well as the school says she should?

So what if it takes her longer to do her schoolwork?

So what if she has to turn her head in strange positions to see clearly?

So what if she gets a little emotional at recess because she didn't have a chance to tell her sister that she loves her?

Her capacity to love and forgive is far greater than I could ever hope to have. Thank you, Grace, for teaching me the important things in life.

I love you, my special child

Forever and Ever

2011-12-15T10:01:00.001-07:00

Adelle: "Mommy, I love you. I will love you forever and ever, all my life."

Math

2011-12-13T18:00:00.001-07:00

Grace: "9+9?! Are you kidding me?! I only have 10 fingers!"
Alexa: "Grace, it's ok. You can use mine."

Bedtime Stories

2011-12-08T09:48:00.002-07:00

This is the book Adelle has been taking to bed with her the past few nights. How many three year olds choose that for their bedtime story?! This is the same three year old who told her Grandma that Daddy was Santa Claus! Oh how I love this spunky little girl!

I'm a Grandma!

2011-12-02T07:11:00.002-07:00

Adelle "gave birth" to two babies a couple nights ago. They looked remarkably like my heating pads. She had a boy named Cutie and a girl named Rainbow. As if that isn't sweet enough, she laid each of them on her chest after they "came out" and patted their little backs. What a little angel!

Coming Soon...

2011-10-11T19:58:00.000-06:00

Grace recently completed her second three-week session of physical therapy at Now I Can and it was awesome! I will post pictures and her new video in the next few days.

In the meantime...Granger High school is doing a

benefit concert for Grace

on Wednesday, October 12th, at 7:00 pm. Their Dance Company, Show Choir, and Drill Team will all be performing, as well as the Dance Companies from Hunter and Cypress High Schools. Grace will be performing in the final number of the evening with the Dance Company! Super cute!! She will also be presented with a special needs tricycle so she can FINALLY ride a bike. Hooray! Tickets are $5 each and can be purchased at the door. It's going to be a fun, fun night!!

fun, fun, FUN!! (and for a good cause!)

2011-08-21T23:11:00.000-06:00

grace will soon be starting her next round of intensive physical therapy at Now I Can. Hooray!

so, on saturday, august 27th we are holding a yard sale/bake sale to raise funds for her therapy. there is also an online auction we've put together with tons of fun, fun things to bid on.

thank you thank you thank you to all you generous angels who have donated your time and talents!!

Click HERE to go to our auction and look around! You'll be glad you did!
And click on THIS to see her video from her last session. It's AMAZING!

Here fishy, fishy, fishy!

2011-08-20T23:11:00.002-06:00

We had such a great time fishing in Tibble Fork Reservoir with my parents. Unfortunately, the fish weren't biting much, but we made some good memories!

Dad used to take me fishing all the time when I was a girl...

And now he's fishing with my little girl!

Sophie LOVED having Grace play with her!

Baptism Day

2011-08-20T23:10:00.000-06:00

My sweet, sweet baby girl was baptized on August 6th and it was an absolutely

beautiful day!

Building up to her baptism I was feeling a little sad because I felt like her baptism was the next big step to her growing up and moving away, but her enthusiasm become contagious! She was literally counting down the hours until her baptism and had a permanent smile on her face the entire day. I was so proud of her!

My mom made Alexa's dress she wore for her confirmation, and her baptism dress was the dress my mom made for me when I was baptized. It was so special! I will never forget the look on her face when I met her in the dressing room when she first came out of the water.

"I made 10 goals!"

2011-08-20T23:09:00.000-06:00

A wonderful young scout in Provo put together a soccer camp for children with special needs with Now I Can. My girls were SO excited to play soccer and had the best time!! They even received little trophies!

COMPUTER DOWN!!

2011-08-14T21:53:00.000-06:00

Oh my goodness, has it really been four months since my last post?! Aargh! My computer has been dying a slow painful death and it's time to put it out of it's misery. Until then, my blog is on hold. :0( There's so much to say when I'm back up! Birthdays! Fishing! Baptisms! Fun!!! So don't forget about me!! ;0)

I'm just going to say it

2011-04-22T14:56:00.002-06:00

So, most of my blog posts are pretty generic and unemotional. Just trying to document what our little family is doing.

But today...

I need an outlet.

And today I'm going to admit, out loud, which I never ever do, that sometimes...

it's
just
not
fair
I never ever EVER want anyone to feel sorry for me so it's easy to put on a happy face, but sometimes I just don't want to.

Everyday I watch my sweet little girl crawl around on the floor. Five-year old girls don't crawl on the floor.

Everyday I see her struggle to crawl up the stairs.

Everyday I see her wait patiently at the kitchen table waiting for us to get her down while the other girls have long gone.

Everyday I send her to school wondering if she's going to have fun at recess.

Everyday I send her to school and wonder if she's going to have an accident in her diaper (yes, no bowel control quite frankly sucks)

Everyday I wonder if the kids at school are going to see her diaper hidden under the panties I put on her.

Everyday I wonder if the pain in her head is from a normal headache, or if her shunt is failing.

Everyday I wonder if I'm a bad mom for getting impatient with her mental/emotional needs.
Everyday my heart breaks a little when she says, "someday, when I'm like Alexa, I'm going to run a race!"

Everyday I strategize how I am going to go shopping with all four girls, because I can't push a shopping cart and wheelchair at the same time.

Everyday I wonder if I give my 7-year old too much responsibility because she helps me push the shopping cart and wheelchair at the same time.

Everyday I look outside and think, "wish I could walk the girls home from school today, but I can't push a stroller, a wheelchair, and carry a walker at the same time."

Everyday I wish with all my heart and soul that she could run around and play with the other kids.

Everday I take pride in the way her sisters crawl on the floor with her when they race, or let her win when she's walking.

Everyday I am thankful for the sweet hugs and kisses she gives me.

Everyday I thank Heavenly Father for trusting me with such a special little angel.

Everyday I am thankful for a loving and sweet husband who never, ever begrudges the struggles we face with this special gift.

Everyday I am thankful for a wise husband who let me see that God has a plan and will still love me even when I feel so angry that my daughter isn't healed. When I can't read the scripture stories about

the lame man who could walk

and the blind man who could see.

Or when I feel bad that no matter how much faith I have that she will be healed that it just won't matter.

Everyday I am thankful for my savior and for the atonement, because

Everyday

heart

hurts

Anyone Feel Like a Run?

2011-04-19T16:35:00.004-06:00

Most of you know that Grace participated an intensive physical therapy program through a non-profit organization called Now I Can. She had therapy four hours a day, five days a week, for three weeks in Provo. Wow! Her session was an extremely exhausting and emotional experience for her (and us!) and she developed life-changing skills that have helped her in ways that no other therapy could. Before therapy Grace couldn't take more than three steps in her crutches, and now she walks the hallways at church. Before therapy we believed that the best ambulation she would have would be in crutches, but now we have hope that someday Grace will walk COMPLETELY independently! What we have received from our experience at Now I Can is priceless, and we look forward to her next three-week session in August.

On May 14th Now I Can is hosting its annual Run to Walk in Provo. It's a 5k/1 mile walk or run, and we want to invite you all to join us! Obviously, we will love you whether you participate or not, but we would like to give everyone an opportunity to participate in such a neat event. (We recently participated in the Hydrocephalus Association's annual walk and kept it a secret, then had people say, "why didn't you tell us!?" So, now we're telling EVERYONE!)

Please feel free to forward this information to anyone you think might be interested. This is our first time and we are super excited! Also, please let me know if you decide to register so that I can let Now I Can know who we have recruited (we get $ off her session for each person we recruite).

I've been a super-slacker in getting this info out and the walk prices increase on Friday. Oopsie! So, if you decide you want to do this please register TODAY! (Or tomorrow, I guess. haha!) Complete info on the race is at http://www.runtowalk.com/.

Thank you all for your constant loving support of Grace and her efforts.

PS...Again, please don't feel any obligation...we know its an early morning and not close to home. We will be walking in the Hydrocephalus Walk in August so there will be another opportunity to walk for Grace if you want to! :0)

Here is the link to Grace's video of her last session at Now I Can. Grab your tissue and enjoy!

Grace's Therapy at Now I Can

Suz's giveaway

2011-03-22T15:52:00.001-06:00

Hey girls! My sis, Suzanne, is doing a fun giveaway on her blog. A Victoria's Secret gift card!! Check her out at:

http://suzierobertson.blogspot.com/2011/03/my-personal-giveaway.html

First Birth

2011-03-20T16:52:00.000-06:00

Wow, birth is beautiful! A couple weeks ago I had the priviledge of attending a client's birth as her doula. It was an amazing and beautiful experience and I feel so honored to be a part of it! Yay!

Scandalous?

2011-02-06T09:14:00.003-07:00

First of all, I know I'm being irreverent by adding this post right now, but I just have too! I'm sitting in the mother's lounge at church feeding my sweet little Sophie baby and I'm thinking, "why do I have to be in here?" What is so wrong with a mother nursing her baby in sacrament? Maybe my feelings on public breastfeeding are a little liberal for our society, but I have no problem with it as long as the mother covers herself. I feel like I would be breaking the tradition of Mormon culture if I dared to nurse my baby in sacrament meeting! Scandalous! So instead I sit in a cold, stinky room feedng my darling and missing the most important part of the week, taking the sacrament. I have dared to nurse her in the foyer when the smell of poopy diapers rotting in a diaper pail all day has been too strong, and I could see the discomfort on the faces of those walking past me. Normally I could care less about people's "comfort" when I nurse my baby in public, but this is church so I guess I could care a little.

PS...(update) I finally did it! I nursed Sophie baby in sacrament a couple weeks ago and it was so liberating! The funny part is that Phillip, who was sitting right next to me, didn't even know for about five minutes. :0)

I did it!!

2011-02-05T21:59:00.003-07:00

Six years ago I was due with my second baby, and I knew I wasn't going to be allowed to hold her after she was born. I knew I was going to deliver my baby in a specially designated room for high-risk babies, and that the moment my little angel came into the world she would be whisked away from me and passed through a window into a special little nursery. I knew that I wouldn't be able to hold her for hours and hours, and this was a very difficult reality for me. So I made a decision.

I knew that I needed some control over this less than desirable situation, so I made a firm decision to deliver this baby girl in the most natural and beautiful way I could imagine...completely unmedicated. I recognized that this was going to be more than difficult, so I hired a doula to support Phillip and me during the labor. She was phenomenal and was a tremendous asset to me in being able to birth Grace in the best way possible, considering the circumstances. When Grace was born I was completely overjoyed and elated, and had never felt so powerful and beautiful in my entire life. Remembering the strength and love I developed during those hours of laboring with her was one of the only things that got me through those next tough days when I had to watch my precious little baby travel to hell and back.

My doulas and Phillip helping me stay focused during some intense back labor

This was my first glimpse of my new baby. (Notice my beat-up face? I did a header off a porch the week before!)

Five years later I was due to give birth to my fourth daughter and again decided that I wanted to give birth to her my way. And that meant no medication. So I decided to hire a doula again. This time I hired my dear friend and boss, Rebecca Overson. She was amazing!

Me and Rebecca after Sophie was born

Nearly six years ago I decided that I wanted to someday become a labor doula and give women that same power. I LOVE BIRTH! I love pregnancy, I love labor, and I love birth! I believe that a woman's body is made to give birth. I believe we are meant to do it in the most natural way that her health will allow. (I say this because I think home births are amazing and wonderful and I would have loved to have experienced one, but I have a heart condition which prevented that for me) I strongly believe in unmedicated deliveries with as little medical intervention as possible and a doula can be an integral part of making that happen for a woman. I also believe that every woman needs to make her own, educated decision on the type of labor she wants, and if she chooses to have an epidural then that's ok too. (I did it for two of my deliveries!)

So, nearly six years after making the decision, I have finally done it! This weekend I took an extensive training course and I can now cross "become a labor doula" off my to-do list. I am so excited!!

Need a contractor

2011-01-28T16:00:00.001-07:00

Phillip and I are looking for estimates on a major bathroom remodel. Anybody know of a trustworthy contractor who may want to tackle the job? We're getting estimates from people I found online, but it would be so much better to have a reference.

Sweet, sweet girls

2011-01-09T17:24:00.001-07:00

We just had these pictures taken of the girls and I had to share!

Call me "Crazy"...

2010-11-23T09:07:00.003-07:00

I've been thinking a lot about ways that my family can live a more "green" and earth-friendly lifestyle, so (hold you breath!) I've decided to resurrect my cloth diapers. (gasp!) When I was pregnant with Alexandra I did hours and hours of research and invested in a great set of cloth diapers. Phillip and I felt that cloth diapering was the best option for our family and I must say, I LOVED IT!! Paper diapers definitely have their advantages: convenience, less bulky, um...that's all I can think of, and I have obviously used them for a lot of years. But, as I've been thinking about the advantages of cloth diapers: fewer diapers being mummifed in our land fills, no chemicals on my sweet baby's bottom, no blow-outs, saves $$, much much better for our environment, etc., I decided that it was time to make the switch. Yes, it's more time-consuming, yes, they can be a bit of a hassle, and can we say "poop-soup" when I wash them? But HOORAY! I feel like I'm doing my part to help conserve this beautiful earth the lord blessed us with.

Now that being said, don't give me a hard time if you see my baby in a paper diaper one of these days. I can't be perfect all the time!!

If your interested in what motivated me to loose my mind and step back a few decades, check out these educational links:
www.mother-ease.com/cloth-diapers/health
www.mother-ease.com/cloth-diapers/environment

PS: I know there are a lot of you out there doing your part to be more "green" (where did that term come from anyway?). I would LOVE to hear any ideas you have that I might be able to incorporate into my family!

Grace's Therapy at Now I Can

2010-11-22T09:18:00.001-07:00

I am so excited! This morning I received an e-mail with a video highlighting Grace's therapy at Now I Can. I will never, ever be able to put into words how grateful I am for the opportunity Grace has to be a part of Now I Can. She goes back for another three-week intensive session in June and I can't wait to see how much progress she makes then! In the meantime we'll keep working on her home exercises so she can maintain her strength. Click on the link below to check out how awesome my Gracie is!

Grace's Therapy at Now I Can

Lead in my dishes?!

2010-11-06T23:17:00.001-06:00

Yep, I just found out that my dinner dishes contain lead. No wonder they were burning hot when coming out of the microwave after 30 seconds! We had a RS activity a couple nights ago and a brother in our ward brought a device that tested for lead in our dishes. And mine showed up containing lead. So, I got to go to IKEA (where NONE of their dishes contain lead, even those made in China) and buy a whole new set of bowls and plates. By the way, my aunt's dinner dishes come from the same manufacturer and have lead in them too. Scary!

I can't help but believe that all the hormones and antibiotics and preservatives in our food, along with the chemicals in our soaps and shampoos and cleaning products are contributing to the many "diseases" we face as a society. What do you think? I'm finding myself trying to live a more green and holistic lifestyle, and steering clear of artificial junk. I know that a lot of people roll their eyes at that type of thinking, and that's ok, but it feels right for me and my family.

PS: These are BETTER HOMES AND GARDENS DISHES from WALMART. You'd think such a respected household name would be more trustworthy!

Happy Halloween!

2010-11-05T21:57:00.000-06:00

Halloween was so fun this year! Despite the rain and cold our girls had a great time trick-or-treating!

Gracie Fairy

A jail bird! Sweet little bumble bee Zoinks! It's Shaggy & Daphne!

Our chunky little pea pod

Dreams Really Do Come True

2010-10-19T22:42:00.000-06:00

Grace has started an intensive physical therapy program at a place in Provo called Now I Can and we are SO EXCITED about the progress she has made! The techniques were brought here from Poland and this facility is the only one like it in the United States. I absolutely love her therapists, especially Sergio (maybe it's because he told me today that I look like I'm in my early twenties. Ha!) and feel so encouraged by the progress she has made. Grace has been in phyiscal therapy programs for her entire life and we have never seen her do the things she has been able to do after only a few days here!

We leave for Provo every morning at 7:00 am and get home around 1:00 pm. She spends four hours a day, Monday through Friday, working so hard and I can see her getting stronger and stronger everyday. Her first couple of days she would scream and cry because the treatment "hurt" her. In reality, the PT's are teaching her body how to move properly and aligning her joints and muscles, and since her body had never felt those sensations her brain wasn't sure how to process them. Now she goes each day and is excited to be there, but those first few days were very difficult for all of us. It is very emotional for me to see Grace experience these new things, and to see the progress she is making. My sweet mom comes with us each day to support me and to help me with the girls. What an angel she is. Sergio is completely confident that in time Grace will walk COMPLETELY unassisted. No walker, no crutches. I feel like every dream I've ever had for Grace is slowly coming true, and I can hardly contain myself.

And thanks to another sweet angel in our lives, we haven't had to pay a penny of this treatment. Now I Can is a non-profit organization, but the sessions are still $100 per hour before insurance kicks in, which translates to $6000 for a three-week session like Grace is having. We feel so blessed to be a part of this foundation and for the help we received to allow Grace this opportunity.

Grace using her "cwuntches"

Grace's first steps!!!!!!!! I love this little girl so much. She really, truly is my hero.

What is this?

2010-10-03T19:24:00.001-06:00

Adelle picked this up off the floor of my parent's basement and asked Phillip, "what is this?" ACK!! (It's a s-p-i-d-e-r) Ew, it makes my hands sweat and my insides turn just thinking about it. I seriously can't even look at the picture!

Ok...

2010-10-03T15:32:00.000-06:00

...so am I the worst mom ever for not blogging about our sweet little Sophie? Seriously, she's almost 3 months old! I guess I've just been too busy loving her and snuggling with her! :0) Sophie Charlotte was born on July 9th weighing 6 lbs. 15 oz and measuring 20 3/4 inches long. Isn't it amazing how you can love something so tiny so completely? I just love this little girl!

Prenatal Massage

2010-06-10T22:06:00.000-06:00

I want to put out there that I am specializing in prenatal massage, and am completing an internship at Salt Lake Prenatal Massage. During my internship a one-hour massage is $45 (a steal!) Check out our website at http://www.slcprenatalmassage.com/

"Go Gracie, Go!!"

2010-06-06T21:58:00.000-06:00

Grace and Alexa ran a 5k race at Sugarhouse Park with Aunt Suzie on Saturday. Alexa made a last-minute decision to run it and I was so impressed by her endurance! Suzie pushed Grace in a jogging stroller (what a woman!) then several yards away we got her out of the stroller and let her run across the finish line in her walker. Alexa was so sweet and waited for her, and Grace was absolutely adorable running as fast as she could so she could "win the race". Both the girls got a little medal and Grace kept saying "I won the race! I'm the winner!" I think there were very few dry eyes watching her cross the line (especially mine). Suzie was so sweet and worked her hiney off to make this possible for my girls and I love her so much for that!

Dance recital

2010-05-22T21:17:00.001-06:00

Alexandra and Grace had their spring dance recital on the 20th and both did such a great job. Alexa had a solo number, two class numbers, and danced in the grand finale. She is a beautiful dancer and it's so fun to see her talent emerging. Grace danced two numbers with her class and was absolutely adorable! Her teacher is so good about choreographing the dances around her abilities while allowing her to interact with the other girls.

At the end of the program each dancer receives a small trophy, then the teacher awards a great big trophy to the best dancer in each age group. Not just each class, but each age group...and Alexa won it! For the second time in three years, so she was pretty excited.

Happy Birthday Grace!

2010-05-22T21:07:00.000-06:00

Grace is 5 years old! It's always so hard for me to see my little girls grow up, and for some reason it's more difficult for me when Grace has a birthday. She was so excited to have a birthday and turn 5, and she's very excited to start kindergarten this fall (I'm glad someone is). She is such a sweet, tender-hearted little girl and tries so hard to make everyone happy. We had a birthday bbq for her, and after cake and ice cream she fell off her bench and smacked the back of her head on the concrete. We all heard an awful "crunch" and thought she may have been hurt very badly, but thankfully she was ok. I took her in the house for some loving and she just cried, "did I do anything wrong? I'm sorry!" Really? I don't think this girl has deliberately done anything wrong in her entire little life.

Cameron and Lorianne Forever

2010-05-22T20:14:00.000-06:00

My "little Louie-anne" married her dream man, Cameron Stelter, on May 14th. She was the most beautiful blushing bride and the day was absolutely perfect! (Except for an ill-fitting bridesmaid dress). Whenever one of my sisters gets married or moves away I feel like they're not only leaving my mom and dad, but they're leaving me too! (Since we live next door to my parents). It's hard for me to see them go, but at the same time I am so happy for them. Adelle absolutely would not look at the camera (typical Adelle)...
...so they put her in the middle and she still wouldn't lift her head!

My Handsome Grad

2010-05-22T19:57:00.000-06:00

It finally happened! After more than two years Phillip finally graduated with his Master's Degree in School Counseling. He has worked so hard for this degree and passed a grueling national exam, and I am so proud of him! Now to secure a job for next school year....

Update

2010-05-02T19:31:00.000-06:00

Yes, I admit it. I am a blog slacker. But hey, in the words of Phillip's dad, "at least I update the honker!" :0) This last month has been an absolute whirlwind so I'll be brief and focus on the highlights:

March 26. ADELLE TURNED TWO!! It makes me so sad when my babies grow up! She is the cutest little thing and definitely plays the part of a two year old. Her vocabulary is expanding everyday and she speaks way too well for her twenty-four little months. She is a fiesty, fiery little thing and I just LOVE it! She takes such good care of her sisters and always makes sure to share her treats with them. I just love her so much and love everyday that I get to be her mommy.

March 31. Grace had a third eye muscle surgery and came through it very well. It always breaks a little piece of my heart when they wheel her away in her little wagon and I always say the most pleading prayers that Heavenly Father will watch over her. Hopefully this will be the last surgery for a very long time.
April 4. EASTER. I just love Easter. I don't know why, maybe it's because I have little girls, but I love dressing everyone up and having a party with my family. The girls all had so much fun searching for eggs and eating way too much candy. I think they eat more junk on this one day each year than I let them during the rest of the year combined! Yea, they went to bed with tummy aches. Adelle was so cute when the egg hunt started because she'd find an egg and say, "here See-see ('Gracie')" and put it in Grace's basket. Then she found out there was chocolate in those eggs and there was no more sharing! April 8. I finally gave in and got my little Adelle's ears pierced. She looks like such a big girl now! She was so brave during the whole thing and I was so proud of her! She shed a few well-deserved tears during the actual piercing, but feels so pretty and loves her new earrings.

April 21. Grace got a new set of wheels! It's time for her to have a mode of "transportation" other than her walker for long distances so we received a brand new wheelchair from Shriner's Hospital (and our insurance company, of course). We call it "Mermaid Green" and she absoolutely LOVES it! And the timing couldn't be better since she isn't able to wear braces and walk for awhile. (She is being fit for new braces because her current ones have given her some major lesions on her ankles)

We've also been working long, hard, and sometimes painful hours building an awesome swingset for the girls. I'll post more about that later when it's all done.

And baby makes...four!?

2010-03-08T14:54:00.000-07:00

Four girls! That's what Phillip and I will have when our new little daughter is born this summer. Wow, four daughters. We went into the ultrasound without any hopes or expectations other than a healthy baby, so another girl is a nice suprise. Quite honestly, it was actually something of a relief. I've been collecting little girl things for almost seven years so a girl is very economical! Not to mention the fact that I have three pink rooms! Don't get me wrong, a boy would be just as wonderful, but we are very happy.

And don't anyone think about saying, "oh, poor Phil needs a son", or "now there won't be anyone to carry on Phil's name", or "you need to keep trying for a boy", or "I'm sorry!". Yes, those are (unfortunately) some very real comments we've had from some in the small circle of people who actually knew we're expecting. For the record, Phillip is ecstatic to have another daughter and doesn't feel the least bit disappointed in not having a son. I think it takes a very special father to raise all daughters and I'm so lucky to be married to one!

By the way, my dad (who also has four daughters) said he's proud to say that he will now have four daughters and four granddaughters. Kind of cool!

Eczema

2010-02-25T15:33:00.000-07:00

So our sweet little Adelle has a bad case of eczema on much of her body and I'm so sad. Her dr gave us a prescription for a steroid cream to use during her breakouts, along with a daily full-body Aquaphor massage. I have no problem with the Aquaphor, but hesitate using a steroid cream on my baby! I know it works really well, but I don't want to do it! Does anyone out there have any more natural remedies that have worked on their children? I have an essential oil recipe for massage oil I'm going to try on her, but am also looking for anything else that's been successful for other children.

Anchor your furniture!!!!!

2010-01-16T20:50:00.000-07:00

Today one of my worst fears came true. Growing up in Southern California and experiencing earthquakes has always made me a little cautious with furniture and I worry about my girls pulling things down on themselves. I keep telling myself that I need to anchor my heavy furniture to the walls but of course get distracted and forget. Tonight I had a bloody reminder of how important it is to do this.

Phillip and I were cleaning our basement and rearranging furniture when Alexa asked if she could use some yarn to knit a scarf for me. (How sweet is that!) I sat on a couch and watched as the cupboard I keep my yarn in came crashing down on her. It was one of those things where I'm yelling, "Move!" and trying to run to her and everything was happening in slow motion, but all too fast. Next thing I know she has blood streaming down her hair and the back of her sweater, and blood is covering my hands. Um, scary!! Once we got the bleeding under control and the blood cleaned up it wasn't too traumatic, but she did end up with two staples closing the wound. Poor baby was so brave throughout the whole thing, but I can't help and feel extremely guilty for neglecting to make my house safer. I am very grateful, however, because I know this situation could have been much, much worse.

On a humorous note, after it happened she asked me, "Are my brains coming out!?". Then before bed tonight she was pressing on her temple and asked if she lost some of her brains because her head felt soft there.

This is her journal entry for tonight:And her stapled wound:

Dress-up and Movie nights

2010-01-10T21:35:00.000-07:00

I just thought these pictures were way too adorable not too post!

Meet Rohnan!!

2010-01-10T20:59:00.000-07:00

Phillip and I have completely lost our minds and adopted a yellow labrador retriever. Crazy!! We've been thinking about getting a puppy for awhile and have been looking around on the internet, then came across this big guy on KSL and fell in love with him. When we saw him and learned more about him we decided an adult dog (he's about five years old) would be much easier than a puppy. So, we met his family and they decided to let us have him! Hooray! I was so nervous all evening, waiting for their call, hoping they would choose us, and acted like a silly little girl when they did. We were really excited because purebred labs are really pricey, but this family gave him to us for free. They already have an older lab and a little girl and decided two dogs was just too much, but still loved him very much. It was so sad when the family dropped him off and the wife left crying. We are very grateful they chose us to be Rohnan's new family, and our girls are absolutely ecstatic!!! Besides, he may be Phillip's only boy!

A Princess Weekend

2010-01-08T22:45:00.000-07:00

I just found this post that I accidentally saved as a draft. Oops! This all happened mid-November:

A few weeks ago Grace and I were invited to attend a "Tea Party" at Shriner's Hospital with Cinderella and her Fairy Godmother. Oh my gosh, what a dream for Grace! She dressed up in her Cinderella ballgown, had her hair done up pretty, and even had the lipstick. There were about 24 other girls there with their mothers and the girls were able to make a crown, eat lots of yummy food, and meet a princess. I am so happy that Shriner's has activities like this for their patients. Grace definitely felt like a princess herself that afternoon.The next afternoon Phillip and I took the girls to see Disney Princesses on Ice and had so much fun! Phillip is such a good dad to endure two hours of watching princesses ice skate (although, some of them were awfully pretty!).

Little Dancers

2010-01-08T21:06:00.000-07:00

Alexandra and Grace had their Christmas recital on December 18. They each did such a wonderful job and both had me in tears. Alexa did her own solo number in addition to the two with her class and did so well! She looked like a little princess up there. Grace has improved a lot since last season and even did a little turn in her walker. So cute!!!

Oh, my sweet little Adelley-do

2009-12-10T21:26:00.001-07:00

I don't think words are necessary to describe these pictures. Let me just say that this little one definitely keeps me on my toes!! I love her so much!!(Yes, those are panties)

It's official!

2009-11-29T22:24:00.000-07:00

I am officially a licensed massage therapist! Hooray! I passed the national exam last month, received my national certification a few weeks ago, and received my state license last week. Lorianne and I also walked at graduation last Friday and I had the honor of speaking. Scary! I was really nervous but also very honored that I would be nominated, and then chosen to speak. I feel like all my hard work and time away from my girls has finally paid off. And I'm so happy that I was able to go through this experience with my sister. She definitely made it easier to get up and go on those freezing cold mornings, or when my girls would cry because they missed mommy. I love you, Lorianne!

Julianne and Jeff forever

2009-09-17T22:02:00.000-06:00

My baby sister married the love of her life last Saturday, September 12th. The entire day was absolutely beautiful and Julianne made the perfect bride. Jeff looked so handsome and was just brimming with love for Julianne! I am so proud of them for being married in the temple and that they found eachother. I love them both SO much and I am excited to finally have a brother. Oh my gosh, I have a brother!!

Um, Dad?

Actually...

2009-09-17T22:01:00.000-06:00

Today was my first of four VERY, very long days this weekend. I'm completing a pre- and perinatal massage therapy workshop to certify in pregnancy massage and to assist in labor management. I'm gone all day from about 8:00 am until 6:45 pm (which I quess is a normal work day for a lot of people, but still!) and I missed my girls like crazy today. I told Alexa how much I missed her and she said, "I missed you too. Actually, I kind of forgot about you." Oh. (Grace's response was "I finally found my muth-oh")

Catch-up

2009-09-17T22:00:00.001-06:00

Okay, brief catch-up:
Alexandra's and Grace's first days of school (Oh my gosh, Alexa's in 1st grade!): Lorianne and I FINALLY graduated from school and soon I'll officially be a Licensed Massage Therapist. Hooray!!!!!!!!!! And we planted a maple tree in the front yard to celebrate.Grace is learning how to use "cwuntches" (crutches)

"-isms"

2009-08-23T16:21:00.000-06:00

Grace-ism: I was listening to Dr. Laura on the radio the other day and Dr. Laura suggested to someone that they throw a party. I didn't realize Grace was listening until she said, "a throw-up party!?" Ew.

Alexa-ism: Alexa came home from school with a child I.D. kit (I just hate the thought of ever needing to use one) so I swabbed the inside of her cheeks with cotton-tipped applicators to save as a DNA sample. I tried to explain to her what they were for but apparently I didn't do a very good job. Later that afternoon I overheard her tell Grace, "Mommy put computers in my cheeks so that if I ever get lost or stolen then people will know who I am."

Alexa-ism: "Mommy! I just saw a deer sleeping in the grass by the road!" I don't think that deer was sleeping!

Hike to Timpanogos Cave

2009-08-04T21:06:00.000-06:00

Last month we thought we'd be the funnest parents ever and take the girls up to Timpanogos Cave. Our hike started off great with three happy girls and two happy parents...

It was hot and we were tired and it was SO much working hiking up the mountain with a child on our backs, but it was SO much fun! Then we got to the cave. About two seconds after we entered the cave (and reached the point of no return) Alexa announced that she had to go potty. This was after she had gone potty three times before beginning the hike! I guess I did a good job keeping her hydrated. Then Adelle started crying. Then Adelle started screaming. Then Alexa started crying. Then Phillip and I were in a near panic trying to keep Adelle quiet as her screams were beginning to shake the cave walls and tour-guide Charles was trying to talk. Yeah, not fun. Poor Alexa was just sick she had to go potty so bad and was in absolute misery. Then an angel came to save her. A sweet little ranger noticed Alexa's dilemma and brought her an emergency bag to relieve herself in. So we found a private corner of the cave and helped her do her thing, which ended in more tears because I didn't have any toilet paper or hand sanitizer on me. (Just for the record, the hand sanitizer was a few switchbacks down the trail where we had to leave our backpacks) Adelle continued to cry throughout the entire tour and was very mad at us when it was over.Her sticker says, "I helped protect the caves today!" Yeah, right.

Alexa with her little blue bag. Thank goodness for little blue bags filled with fluid-absorbing gel. Adelle slept through the entire hike down while Grace reached her breaking point. I think the quote of the day was when we were about halfway back down the trail and Grace whines to Phillip, "Daddy, I'm tired of you walking!" Wow.Well, it took a few minutes for me to decide if the trip was worth it and if we were the funnest parents ever, and I answered, "yes!" This will definitely be an outing to remember, and one that we will probably laugh about for years, but I loved being with my girls and being in the mountains!

PS. One high note: Grace stood completely independent for the first time EVER!!! This is an image that brought tears to my eyes and made me cheer loud enough to attract way too much attention!

Happy Birthday Alexandra Marie!

2009-07-28T21:44:00.000-06:00

Alexa turned six years old on July 26th and I'm afraid I'm struggling with this birthday. Five years old was hard enough because it meant she would be going to kindergarten, but this is killer! I don't know what I'm going to do with all-day first grade!!!

I feel very blessed to have Alexandra as a daughter and I am so proud of the good girl she is growing up to be. She has always been my little friend and I hope to maintain this friendship I have with her throughout our lives. I love it when she gives me a hug so tight that it hurts my neck and she says, "Your the best mommy ever! Even when you're mad at me you're still the best." (Yes, I do get mad sometimes. Ugh.) Or when she says, "Will you still be my mommy when you're old and I'm a mommy?" She is so sweet and loving with her little sisters and is always trying to make them happy. She takes such good care of Grace and has no problem adjusting her games to accommodate Grace's abilities. I love that we can sit and have a grown-up conversation and be the best of friends. I love it when she follows me around the house and talks to me while I do my chores. I love that she likes to scrapbook with me and do our homework together. I love that she is so willing to give me hugs and kisses and is never afraid to show me that she loves me. I have always felt so blessed that she is such a polite and sweet little girl and I love her so much!

I can't believe I have a mother!

2009-07-13T21:52:00.000-06:00

A Grace-ism: We spent a weekend in Park City recently (pictures to come) and we had a little movie night with the girls in the hotel. Grace kept giggling and laughing while hugging me and saying, "I can't believe I have a mother! I can't believe I have a mother and a father and sisters!" Acutally, it was "muth-oh, fath-oh, and sist-ohs". Sometimes I feel the same way and want to laugh out loud and say "I can't believe I have a Phillip! I can't believe I have an Alexandra, a Grace, and an Adelle!" It is so easy to get caught up in the frustrations and stresses of daily life that sometimes I need to step back and just look at how blessed I am. I love when that moment sneaks up on me and I get that warm feeling knowing what a wonderful and beautiful life I live.

Super-Star!

2009-07-09T23:56:00.001-06:00

Grace had a couple of appointments at Shriner's Hospital today and we ended up being interviewed for a news story! The hospital's PR guy came into our treatment room and asked if Grace and I would agree to a TV interview for Channel 2 News regarding our experience there at Shriner's. Of course I agreed to it but my first thought was "how is my hair!" It should have been, "I hope I have something smart to say" but my vain side took over. It was so much fun and I felt like such a star with the camera following us around and the bright lights in my face. Maybe I should bag massage and go into acting. ha ha (courtesy laugh). Here is the link to the video:

http://www.kutv.com/mediacenter/local.aspx?videoid=90096@kutv.dayport.com&navCatId=5

I think Grace just looks so darn cute!!! I don't know how long this video will be on KUTV's website, hopefully for awhile.

Darling Little Girls

2009-07-02T22:20:00.000-06:00

The other day I was next door at my parent's house (yes, I live next door to my family and we love it!) and I had my arms full so I asked Alexa and Grace to start walking home ahead of me. I watched them walking and Alexa had her hand on Grace's back guiding her up to the porch. I saw the love they have for eachother shining in their eyes as Alexa helped Grace along and then as they stopped and hugged eachother when they got home. Alexa caught me watching them and shrugged her shoulders and said, "Well, we need to help her. She isn't very strong." Grace immediately retorted, "I am too strong!" to which Alexa replied, "Yes, you are strong. You're just...unique." It was so sweet! These two little girls are the best of friends and I know that Heavenly Father sent Alexa to be Grace's big sister for a reason and I'm so thankful He did.

Last night we were reading a book to Adelle which had pictures of different animals and living things in it. She would copy us when we'd tell her what sound each animal or creature made and it was so cute! Each time we got to the ladybug page she would lay her head on the book like she was giving the ladybug a love and she'd say "buh lay-lay". I just love this age and the fun new things she is doing and saying. She will look me in the eye and have a nice long conversation with me, deliberately choosing her words, even though I have no idea what she is talking about! (And sometimes she will look me in the eye and yell at me, deliberately choosing her words, even though I have no idea what she is angry about!) She is a fiery little girl who knows what she wants and will settle for nothing less. Her body language is so funny and so expressive. For example, when she is given something she doesn't want she will hit her head with both her hands or cover her mouth as if it is the end of the world. If offered something she does want she nods her head with all her might, shaking her whole body in the process.

I just love these three little girls and am so excited to experience their childhood with them!

"Are we a Judeo-Christian nation?"

2009-06-19T12:19:00.000-06:00

My dad sent this You Tube video to me and I think every Christian in America should see this. I am so proud of this Congressman for defending the beliefs our country was built on. I wish there were more people in power like him! Thanks, Dad.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpQOCvthw-o

Cute Pictures

2009-06-15T22:26:00.000-06:00

Grace was so sleepy after our long drive home from California that she fell asleep on Alexa's bed reading "Goodnight Moon." What a sweetie.

Alexa was yelling, "mush! mush!" and Grace thought it was the funniest thing ever. (So did I!)

P.S. Adelle FINALLY took her first two steps today! Hooray!!

Huntington Beach

2009-06-15T22:11:00.001-06:00

A few weeks ago my family drove to California to attend the funeral of a very close family friend. We tried our best to make the most of the trip so the girls could have a little fun so we spent a few hours at the beach. Unfortunately Adelle became very sick and spent half a day in a gross E.R. just so the doctor could spend 3 minutes looking at her telling me not to worry about her fever of 104 degrees, but that's beside the point. Here are some pictures of the best two hours we had during our five-day adventure.

Alexa made this heart for me:

Dance Recital

2009-06-15T22:01:00.000-06:00

Alexandra and Grace had their Grand Recital a few weeks ago and were just so darn cute! I think I could watch the video of each of their dances over and over again. Alexa's first dance was to a "Jungle Book" song and she came riding out on the backs of two little girls, shaking her shoulders, as if she were riding on the back of an elephant. Sassy! Grace has made a lot of improvements since her last recital and is much more willing to participate and is able to follow the steps much closer now. There was an awards ceremony at the end of the program and each of the girls were given a trophy which they are so proud of (and Grace earned a huge applause which, of course, brought tears to my eyes!) What little dolls!

Happy Birthday Grace

2009-05-19T21:26:00.001-06:00

My little girl is four years old today! I get so excited to see the new steps my girls take and to watch them grow up, but it also makes me so sad to see another year pass by. I'm not very good at letting my babies grow up. We had a wonderful day with Grace today and tried to make it fun for her. I took the day off school and we just played and spent the entire day together. I love that the first thing she said when she woke up this morning was "I love you, Mother". (She likes to call us "Mother" and "Father" sometimes!) I love the great big hugs she gives me and when she says, "You the best mommy I ever had". I love her crooked little eyes and her sweet little angel-smile. Despite the struggles our family has had because of her physical challenges, I would never change a thing about her and I am so glad that Heavenly Father trusted me to be her "Muth-oh".

Belated post

2009-04-25T21:39:00.000-06:00

We had a wonderful Easter and thoroughly enjoyed the beautiful weather. We spent the evening at my Grandpa and Grandma Mallonee's house with all my mom's family. That morning the girls got to wear their new Easter dresses and I dolled them up a little extra for church. Alexa was feeling so pretty and asked me, "Mommy, do you think the other kids at church will laugh at me?" Our conversation went something like this:
Me: "Why would the kids laugh at you?"
Alexa: "Because I look so pretty"
Me: "The kids won't laugh at you because you look so pretty"
Alexa: "But Mommy, some of the kids might be jealous because they aren't as pretty as I am"
I am so happy that I have a little girl with such high self-esteem! I wish I could bottle it up and give her a little bit each time she needs it as she grows up.
Alexa and Grace had so much fun during the Easter egg hunt (who wouldn't when there are 100 jelly bean-filled eggs to be found by three little kids!)
On April 17th Alexa and Grace had a piano recital at Summerhay's Music Center with Phillip's piano studio. Alexa played "Hopscotch" and Grace played "My Dog Spike", both by Hal Leonard. They both did such a good job and I was so proud of them! This was Alexa's second recital and Grace's first. Grace was so cute when she announced her piece because she said, "My name is Gwace and I will play 'My Dog Spike' by Hal Lenowde".
Phillip ran the Salt Lake City Half-Marathon on the 18th, along with Suzanne, Lindsey, and my father-in-law Donnie. I love when Phillip runs these races because it is so fun for my sisters and me to find places along the route to cheer him on. I waited too long to go to the finish line after cheering him on and I literally plowed over some people just in time to see him run up the chute. I was so proud of him and probably made some woman go deaf from screaming in her ear! This was Suzanne's first race and she did such a good job, finishing 61 seconds past her goal time. This race motivated Lindsey to run a full marathon in a couple months, and was a good race for Donnie to hang his shoes up after. I am so proud of them all for running so well!

A beautiful poem

2009-04-21T22:41:00.001-06:00

My sister, Suzie, gave me this poem and I think it is just beautiful.

When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip- to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum, Michelangelo's David, The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.After several months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "welcome to Holland.""Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy."But there has been a change in the flight plan. They have landed in Holland, and there you must stay.The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place.So you must go out and buy new guidebooks. And you must learn a whole new language. And you meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.It's just a different place. It's a different place than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you have been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around... and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills... and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy... and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say: "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That is what I had planned."And the pain of that will never, ever, ever go away... because the loss of that dream is a very, very significant loss. But... if you spend your life mourning the fact that you did not get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things... about Holland.

Happy Birthday Adelle!

2009-03-25T21:28:00.001-06:00

My baby is turning one year old today! I haven't decided yet if I should be happy or crying, but regardless, I am so blessed to be her mommy. Adelle was born at 11:11 am on March 26, 2008 and has been such a joy to our family. From the very beginning Adelle has been a little "mama's girl" and I have loved every second of it! I love the way she gives me tight, cuddly hugs and wet, slobbery baby kisses. I love the way she crawls to me as fast as she can, screaming with excitement when I come home from school each day. I love the way she tucks her little knees under her belly when I tuck her in her bed at night. I love how excited she gets to snuggle up with her blankie and giggles and kicks when she sees it coming. I love that she's a fiesty little girl who knows exactly what she wants and won't settle for anything less (which is why we are always on our toes!) I love that I have been blessed to spend every single day of this last year being a mommy to a sweet and precious little angel and look forward to every day to come.

The Royal Dinner

2009-03-23T18:07:00.001-06:00

Tonight Alexa and Grace were playing "Cinderella" when it was time to eat dinner. Grace blessed the food and said "please bless the royal dinner". I like to think that God smiles when little children say prayers like that!

Pretty little girls

2009-03-23T15:24:00.001-06:00

I took the girls to get their pictures taken for Easter and I'm so excited about how beautiful they turned out! I also had Adelle's and Grace's birthday pictures taken as well (Alexa will have hers taken in a few months)

Aloha!

2009-03-15T16:13:00.000-06:00

Wow, I don't even know where to begin with this post! First, this is for all you Olsons out there: "Aloha oink!" (There was a family in their ward years ago who stood in sacrament meeting wearing pig noses, playing eukelalies, singing "Aloha oink!" Do people seriously do that!?)

Adelle and I spent nine days on the north shore of Oahu with my parents and Suzanne and had such a wonderful time. The sun came out for about a day and a half during our entire stay so I didn't come home with much of a tan, but had a great time regardless. Our condo was just down the road from Turtle Bay so Suzie and I would often walk there while Adelle was napping (thanks, Dad and Mom for helping me with her!) This is a picture of the sand through the crystal-clear water:

Our favorite place to eat was the Hukilau Cafe and it looks like something right out of the movie "50 First Dates". The tables look like little old kitchen tables and has such a relaxed, laid-back feel. My dad has a little crush on one of the waitresses there and blushes everytime we go in. (Shhh, don't tell him I wrote that!)

One of the highlights of the trip for me was going to the Polynesian Cultural Center. We started our afternoon there by watching a boat parade with each of the islands being represented. This is the Samoan float and video of the Tahitian float:

Here are some random pictures of our day there:We were able to visit the Samoan Village and see a man climb a palm tree, eat at the Luau (yum!), and watch a really great fire show put on by each of the islands. I loved it so much there and left wishing I had beautiful brown skin and long black hair!

Another highlight of the trip for me was visiting Pearl Harbor. It is impossible to describe the feeling of reverence there. When you get to the park you watch a movie with real footage of Pearl Harbor and of the attack, then you take a boat ride out to the USS Arizona Memorial. It is amazing to see the oil still seeping up from the boat. The weather that day was grey and rainy and I felt like the weather suited the atmosphere at the memorial.

There is an amazing, let me repeat, amazing swap meet held just outside Aloha stadium where I spent way too much money. One of the days we spent there it rained and rained and Suz and I were running from tent to tent trying to find shelter from the rain. This is what a rainstorm did to my beautiful, soft, hair that was previously full of body. (let me just say, I LOVE what the Hawaiian humidity does to my hair!) Do we have the Farrah Fawcett hair-do going on or what!

I am probably going to embarass myself by saying this, but I never knew that pineapples grew in the ground. (Um, blonde!) I loved seeing the acres and acres of pineapple crops and loved even more, eating some!

Here are a few more random pictures which require no explanation:

Adelle hated the ocean and the sand. I think it was because it was loud and windy and she's a little princess and hates to be dirty.

My dad, Suzie, and I went snorkelling several mornings in Shark's Cove and saw a lot of really pretty fish. I love snorkelling so much and can't wait to take Phillip there to go snorkelling sometime. It was so fun being out in the water and spending a little daddy-daughter time with my sister and dad.

I missed Phillip and my girls SO much and hated being away from them for so long, but had such a wonderful time in paradise!

Family pictures

2009-02-27T20:46:00.001-07:00

We had these pictures taken last week and I am so pleased with how they turned out!

Romantic and funny and gross

2009-02-27T19:17:00.000-07:00

The other day Alexa said to me, "Mommy, do you want to know what happened at school today that was romantic and funny and gross?" Naturally my curiosity was peaked so I said, "sure!" She began by saying, "well, me and Isaac looked at eachother..." and at this point I'm thinking, "that little boy better not have kissed my daughter!!!!" I calmly smiled and nodded as she continued, "we looked at eachother and smiled." Phew, breathe again Marianne! I just smiled and remembered the days when I thought smiling at a cute boy in school was romantic and funny and gross.

So funny!

2009-02-25T22:30:00.001-07:00

This picture requires no explanation...it just makes me laugh! (And laugh, and laugh, and laugh!)

Valentine's Day

2009-02-25T22:22:00.000-07:00

This post comes a little late, but I wanted to post some pictures of our Valentine's Day. We decided to spend the evening with the girls and make homemade pizza for dinner. We had so much fun just being together and eating our oh-so romantic candlelight dinner of homemade pizza.

This is the girls in their new Valentine's Day jammies.

Draper Temple Open House

2009-02-13T22:15:00.000-07:00

Tonight we took the girls to the Draper Temple Open House with my parents. Wow, what a beautiful temple it is! I loooooved the chandelier in the Celestial Room, and the matching, miniature versions in the Sealing rooms. I loved that my girls were able to see inside the temple and to gain a little testimony of their own. When we were driving home I asked Alexa and Grace what their favorite parts were. Alexa said, "that reverent room where people kneel down and get married. And the reverent room with the big chandelier." What a sweet girl. Grace said, "the cookies and the water." That's my Grace!

Little moment

2009-02-04T21:05:00.001-07:00

After dinner tonight we blasted the music and the girls and I just danced and danced. We were singing, and laughing, and jumping around and it was so much fun! Alexa and Grace kept saying, "this is the best night ever!" Lately I've been so busy with school and homework (not to mention the usual things around the house!) that I feel like I haven't spent a lot of quality time with my girls. This half-hour of dancing and singing made me realize that it only takes a few minutes to let them know how much I reeeallly love them. I love being a mommy!

The sweetest sound

2009-01-26T20:46:00.000-07:00

"Mama-ma" Adelle finally said, "mama" and it just melts my heart. Phillip said she was yelling that and looking around for me when he was getting her ready for her nap this afternoon. Then she kept saying it while I was making her dinner. Oh, what a happy day!

Have we gone MAD?!

2009-01-25T16:44:00.000-07:00

Yes, I think we have. On something of a whim we took the girls out yesterday and adopted a kitty. Phillip and I have had cats in the past and vowed to never have another pet, but yesterday we caved and adopted one. She stole our hearts at the pet store and has fast become a member of our family. She is so sweet and has no problem being carried around so the girls are just in heaven. Her name is Tinkerbell Snuggles which is very suiting for our house full of girls. You may laugh at the name Tinkerbell Snuggles, but that is much better than Tinkerbell Cuddle-Snuggles which is what Grace was voting for. So, Phillip is no longer outnumbered 4 girls to 1 boy, but 5-1!

Shhh...don't tell, but Phillip really loves her. So cute!

Response to Gina's tag...

2009-01-24T22:39:00.000-07:00

I've been tagged by Gina. Now, you're it Suzie, Julianne, Jenna, and anyone else who wants to play!
A to Z about ME
A--Attached or Single: attached to Phillip for 8 great years
B--Best Friend: Phillip, of course
C--Cake or Pie: Cake Tonight I made Hot Fudge Pudding Cake with whipped cream
D--Day of Choice: Saturday...no school
E--Essential Item: This time of year, warm socks
F--Favorite Color: Red
G--Greatest Accomplishment: Giving birth to my daughter, Grace, completely unmedicated
H--Hometown: West Jordan
I--Indulgences: Reading
J--January or July: July (it's my birthday!)
K--Kids: Alexandra, 5; Grace, 3; Adelle, 10 months
L--Life is incomplete without: my family
M--Marriage Date: November 3, 2000
N--Number of Siblings: 4 sisters
O--Oranges or Apples: mmm, depends on my mood
P--Phobias or fears: Spiders. enough said
Q--Quotes: "What are you looking at, butthead?" (Phillip is watching "Back to the Future" right now!)
R--Reason to Smile: My girls. I love when Alexa runs up and hugs me, I love to hear Grace sing, and I love Adelle's funny faces
S--Season: Fall
T--Tag 5 Friends: Suzie, Julianne, Jenna, and anyone else who wants to play
U--Unknown fact about you: My parents got my name from Marianne on "Gilligan's Island" She is everyone's favorite, right?
V--Very favorite store: I love to shop at Target
W--Worst habit: Staying up too late on a school night
X--X-ray or Ultra Sound: ultrasound, especially when we're looking at a baby
Y--Your favorite food: I love to eat all sorts of food. I really do. But my favorite late-night snack is chips and salsa
Z--Zodiac: cancer

The results are in

2009-01-23T14:44:00.001-07:00

Adelle's blood work came back today and she is mildly anemic. Wierd! Her hemoglobin count is 11.9 and it should be somewhere between 12.1 and something. (I sort of have selective hearing!) So she'll be on iron drops until she is re-evaluated in a couple months. I'm so suprised because she is such a happy and active little baby, and my experience with anemia is just the opposite. Hmm. I've never heard of a baby with anemia...anyone have any experience?

PS...today was my first day working in the massage clinic at school and it went really well. Phillip was so sweet and came to be my first client to ease my nerves. What a doll to pay for a massage he could get at home for free. My other client was a fellow student who requested me! Sweet! I'm so relieved to have this first day over with so I don't have to be quite so nervous anymore.

My brave baby girl

2009-01-22T20:52:00.000-07:00

Adelle's pediatrician wanted her to have her blood drawn to check for anemia, so Phillip took her to the hospital today to have the test done. He said she was such a brave girl and didn't even flinch when they put the needle in her arm. What a girl! No tears, no crying, only curiosity. I'm so proud of her! She does a much better job than her mommy does. Or her grandma. (that one's for you, Mom! ha ha!)

The loves of my life

2009-01-20T12:56:00.001-07:00

My girls absolutely adore bathtime! They take their bath before bed each night and it is such a great opportunity for them to wind down and relax. No, that junk on the wall is not dirt, it's crayon! Obviously they have a great time in the bath.Alexandra loves to take pictures and sometimes we find the best pictures on our camera. I love this picture of her and Grace that she took.

A couple nights ago Phillip caught Alexa reading bedtime stories to Grace. Is that just the sweetest thing ever!

My sweet Adelle with Phillip. She is such a happy little girl and brings so much joy to our lives. We feel so blessed to have her in our family.

And of course, Phillip. We get so excited for those rare moments when we get to go on a date, and appreciate those who watch our little angles so that we have some time to remember how much fun we have together.

Happy Birthday, Phillip!

2009-01-18T15:10:00.000-07:00

I'm a few days late posting this, but Happy Birthday to my Phillip! He turned 31 on January 14th and I feel so happy to be married to him. He is a wonderful husband and does such a great job being daddy and mommy while I am in school right now. I am so proud of how hard he works to provide for our family, and to further his own education.My family gave Phillip the hugest balloon I've ever seen, and after displaying it in our home for a few days we let it go outside. It was fun seeing how long we could see it floating away (which was a very long time!)
I accomplished a long-time goal on Friday night...I cooked my first roast. I know, what kind of wife am I since I've been married for eight years and have never cooked a roast?! I guess I've just been a little intimidated. Well, I finally decided to do it and it turned out so yummy! I was so proud of myself! (Thanks, Mom, for all the cooking tips!) Alexa has been into watching "Man vs. Wild" with Phillip this week, and right before dinner they watched Bear Grylls kill and eat a snake. Gross! So all during dinner Alexa kept saying, "I love dead meat!" I really think she meant to say "roast beef", but dead meat was fresh in her brain. So from now on I'll be putting "dead meat" in my slow cooker!

This past week has been finals week at school and I'm so proud to say that I aced all five of my classes. Hooray! I think that my wardrobe to school on Thursday was a good indicator of where my stress levels had been. Lorianne (my sister who is taking this course with me) and I rode Trax to school on Thursday and when I was getting out of the car at the train station I realized that I had forgotten to put shoes on. Whoops! I was still wearing my slippers! So I had to ride the train, walk around downtown, and take my anatomy final in my slippers. Some people (especially some people at Wal-mart and silly high school girls) think it's okay to make dirty slippers a regular part of their wardrobe, but I'm just not that girl. Lucky for me, Grace had an appointment at Primary Children's Hospital so I called Phillip and he took some shoes to the appointment for me. After my final I caught another train and met him at the hospital to get my shoes. Needless to say, my slippers went right into the washing machine when I got home.

Grace face-planted in her walker on Friday and got a big fat lip. My poor baby. She of course cried and cried at first, then was so brave and didn't even complain afterward. It is times like this that I let myself feel frustrated about the struggles she faces. Most days I cope really well with her disabilities, and some days I don't. I was talking to Lorianne about this on the way to school one morning and expressing a concern I have. Does the Lord think me ungrateful for the trials I am given when I express my sadness and frustration for Grace's struggles? I hope not, because it's too hard to be brave every day.

Oh, that sore on her bottom lip is what is left of a cold sore I gave her. Yeah, just imagine the guilt I felt after realizing I gave my daughter the herpes virus! Ugh.

Massage Clinic

2009-01-09T15:31:00.000-07:00

I will be working in the massage clinic at my school (Eagle Gate College) beginning Friday, January 23rd from 8:00 am - 12:00 pm each Friday and would like to invite anyone who wants, to come receive a massage. The regular price for a 50-minute full-body massage is $30, but if you mention that you are a friend or family member of mine then you will only be charged $15. Since I am not yet licensed I don't recieve a paycheck for this, it is just part of the hours I need to obtain my license, so the money goes to the school. (Tips are always welcome, though! :0) If the hours I work don't fit into your schedule then you are welcome to schedule with any other student and still receive the discounted price. (Appointments are scheduled from 8:00 am - 7:00 pm) Anyway, I am excited about the opportunity I have to improve people's well-being and wanted to give everyone an opportunity to receive some bodywork at a discounted price. The address of the school is 405 N. Main St. in SLC (inside the Ken Garff building) and the phone number is 333-7142. You'll probably end up leaving a message and someone will call you back typically on the following Thursday. Enjoy!!

Something funny Alexa said

2008-12-31T23:09:00.000-07:00

The other day Alexa said to me, "Mom, you were right, I do have brains!" That in and of itself is funny enough, but the fact that she was pointing to her ribs made it hilarious! I have since corrected her on where things are.

Okay, I know...

2008-12-30T22:04:00.000-07:00

...I have been a HUGE blog slacker!! I'll do my best to catch up and be brief. Alexa and Grace had a dance recital on December 19th and they were so darn cute! This is Alexa's third year taking dance classes and Grace's first year. Alexa was so cute and sassy up on that stage and loved every second of it. Grace was just as cute as could be and tried so hard to move her little legs. I was so proud of my girls!!

We had a really nice Christmas and spent a lot of time with each of our families. Phillip's family celebrates together on Christmas Eve, while my family celebrates together on Christmas Day. I always feel so grateful that we get along so well with each other's families and that we don't have to worry about contention and disharmony on the holidays. My grandma made Alexa and Grace each a scrapbook and Grace was sooo excited looking at the pictures. She kept yelling, "finallee! It's my birthday!" or, "finallee! I'm in my dress-up!" It was hilarious listening to her yell as loud as she could in her cute, raspy little voice. We absolutely loved all the snow we received during the week of Christmas. My parents were very generous and gave us their old snowblower this year so Phillip kept peeking out the window every few minutes waiting for the snow to be deep enough to clear off. It was so funny seeing all the men in the neighborhood out with their snowblowers at the same time.Adelle has become quite the little diva and is so much fun! She just turned nine months old and I would love to just freeze her at this age for awhile. She has mastered crawling up and down the stairs and is a difficult little girl to contain. I recently re-organized the girls' playroom so that she can play in there now and she just loves being one of the girls. Her absolute favorite thing (next to me!) is taking a bath. She is turning into a little chatterbox and says "bath", "hi", and "dad". When she's not practicing her words she is singing or yelling. Super-cute! I love these pictures of her because they capture a bit of her vibrant personality:

Alexandra has been sick with the stomach flu all week and it has put such a damper on her Christmas vacation. Poor baby has been throwing up constantly and was getting dehydrated so I took her to the e.r. this afternoon. They gave her some anti-nausea meds to help keep her liquids down and she seems to be doing much better this evening. We're all praying so hard that no one else in the family gets it.

School has been going really well for me and has kept me very busy. I am liking massage a lot, but am not enjoying being away from my family so much. I am almost one-fourth of the way through (yea!) and I hope the time goes by quickly. I look forward to graduating and being home with my girls more, but am doing my best to excel in my classes. Suprisingly, the class I was most afraid to take, anatomy and physiology, has turned out to be my favorite!

Question of the day...

2008-11-25T18:15:00.000-07:00

The other day Alexa was asking questions about death and she asked, "Mommy, does Heavenly Father come to get us or do we just flap our hands?" How cute is that!

A house divided

2008-11-25T18:00:00.000-07:00

There is a reason why Phillip and I don't watch the BYU v. Utah game together each year:

Yet we still love each other. (Go Utes!!)

Grace can jump!

2008-11-25T17:49:00.000-07:00

Grace learned how to jump while we were in California and I think it is just the cutest thing!

The best vacation ever!

2008-11-18T22:51:00.000-07:00

We had the BEST vacation to California and I'm so excited to post some pictures. Warning: this may be a long post! During our drive down we stopped in St. George to see Phillip's grandparents for an hour and had such a wonderful visit. They are both such sweet people and we felt so blessed to be able to spend a little time with them. We spent four days in Disneyland before driving down to San Diego and spending a day at Sea World. I never realized how exhausting it is to go to Disneyland with three active little girls but it was so much fun! Our first day there I had to laugh because each member of my family (Phillip and me, my dad, my mom, and my three sisters) were each holding something that belonged to us as we were waiting to get on the tram to go into the park. There were seven adults and between each of us we were holding Adelle, Grace, her walker, two strollers, my backpack, and the girls' hoodies. I said, "how many people does it take to get the Olson family to Disneyland!" We were so grateful that my family came with us...not only were they very helpful but the company was great too!

The first ride we went on at Disneyland was Snow White and I was a little worried that Grace would be afraid and cry. Suprisingly, Alexa cried and Grace was fine! Grace was so unpredictable because the rides we thought she'd love, like Peter Pan, she absolutely hated; and rides we thought she'd be a little afraid of, like Pirates of the Caribbean, she absolutely loved! Alexandra loved Splash Mountain and the river-rafting ride, and they both adored Dumbo. (I remember my Grandpa Mallonee taking me on the Dumbo ride when I was three years old!)

The girls had so much fun meeting the characters and getting their little t-shirts autographed. The princesses and fairies were so sweet to them and paid extra-special attention to Grace.

Our third night there we ate dinner with the princesses at Ariel's Grotto and the girls were in heaven! (So were Phillip and my dad!) Alexa was so excited to meet Aurora and told her that they had the same kind of hair. It was very cute watching them compare their golden locks.

As for myself, I got to meet Captain Jack Sparrow and was pretty excited about that. But dangit, why did I have to close my eyes for the stinkin' picture! (this one's for you, Gina!)I love this picture of Adelle and Alexandra's Tinkerbell doll:

I feel like our vacation was just so much fun that I can't even write about it all! We just had so much fun being together as a family and watching our girls experience the magic of Disneyland for the first time. Alexa could not have been happier with all the new experiences, and Phillip and I were so impressed by how well the employees at the park took care of Grace's special needs. I was so excited to be home after such a long and tiring vacation, but I was so sad to leave Disneyland. I can't wait to go back again!

I found this picture from when Phillip and I went in 2002 when I was pregnant with Alexa:

And here we are now!

Family Pictures

2008-11-18T22:10:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to post some family pictures that our friend Tiffany took for us. Check out her studio on my side bar under Tiffany Moody Photography.Don't I have the most gorgeous sisters? And I just love this one of Adelle!!

Husband Tag!

2008-11-17T21:19:00.000-07:00

I'm such a nerd and just realized that people have been tagging me with different tags for a long time and I never noticed! I keep seeing people being tagged and have thought, "how cool for them, wish I was that cool" and it turns out, I am that cool! Anyway, I thought I'd answer this one since it's all about my favorite person in the whole wide world. Sorry everyone whose tags I didn't notice.

1.Where did you two meet? West Jordan High School

2. How long did you date before you got married? One year and ten days

3.How long have you been married? 8 years and 14 days

4.What does he do to surprise you? For our anniversary he suprised me with a little getaway to Little America, and today I came home from school to a spotless house. He even washed the windows!!

5.Favorite feature about him? Oh, do I have to chose just one?

6.Favorite quality about him? Really, just one? I love what a good daddy he is and how he'll even play "dollies"

7.Does he have a nick name for you? Boo, Bug, Sweets (that's my favorite!), Babe

8. What is his favorite color? Cougar Blue (ugh)

9.What is his favorite food? If you were to ask him he'd say anything I made. I know, he's just that sweet. Really though, he loves spicy Mexican food or steak.

10.What is his favorite sport? He loves to play basketball with his brothers. His favorite sports to watch are basketball and football.

11.Who said "I love you" first? He did

12.When and where was your first kiss? Outside his house in January, 2000

13.Favorite thing to do as a couple? Anything! We love being with our girls, but those rare moments when it's just us are so wonderful. We love going out to eat together, or just cuddling up under our "dating blanket" in front of the tv.

14.What is a hidden talent that he has? Housekeeping. He loves a clean house and is so wonderful at keeping it that way. Thankfully he is patient with me when I don't do such a great job at keeping my mess cleaned up!

15.Where was your first date? It was to a BYU dance at the Tivoli Art Gallery in downtown Salt Lake City.

16.How did he propose? We were on a date downtown and took a walk through Temple Square. He led me to one of the water fountains and told me that he wanted to take me to the temple to marry me someday.

17.What do you most admire most about him? Wow, there are so many things about Phillip that I just love and admire. He always puts his family before anything else and works so hard to make sure we are taken care of. He has such a charitable heart and is always finding ways to serve other people. I am so blessed that I get to be his wife and I love him so much!

I TAG: SANDRA, JENNA, CHERI, MICHELLE F. and MELISSA!!!

Halloween (sorry, I know it's late)

2008-11-16T21:35:00.000-07:00

We had such a fun Halloween this year and ended up with way too much candy. I recycled costumes from previous years so Grace and Alexandra wore sunflower costumes I made and Adelle was a pea pod. They all looked so darn cute! The weekend before Halloween we went to a party at Primary Children's Medical Center for the Hydrocephalus Parent Support Group and had such a blast! They provided a hot dog dinner (one of the girls' favorites!) and lots of games. I think their favorite game was the pumpkin walk where they each earned a painted pumpkin. Grace loved hers so much that she even slept with it during her nap the next day!Right after that party we rushed to Phillip's work for the annual trunk-or-treat. We actually missed the trunk-or-treating (which was fine by me!) but still got there in time for the yummy sugar cookies and chocolate milk. They also took tons of family pictures and gave the girls tons of candy so everyone was happy. Halloween night we took the girls trick-or-treating around our neighborhood and pulled Grace in our red wagon. We had dinner with my family and grandparents and had a nice time visiting with them.

Since we were busy preparing to leave for our vacation the next day we didn't have time to carve pumpkins as we had planned. Thankfully Alexa improvised and didn't know that you don't traditionally carve a pumpkin without gutting it first. She was content to just carve a face in it and stick glow-sticks inside to make it glow. It kind of broke my heart at first, but I was so relieved that she didn't know the difference and was still happy. I love how she included cheeks and eyelashes on her pumpkin. She is definitely a girl!

Just to let you know...

2008-11-16T15:28:00.000-07:00

...I am terrible at leaving comments! I just want everyone to know that even though I do read all your blogs, you may not know I was there because I don't always comment. Sorry!

Picture Perfect Baby

2008-10-24T10:37:00.001-06:00

I am so bad at keeping my blog updated...ugh. These are Adelle's six-month pictures we had taken at Fotogenix and I don't think they could be any cuter! Maybe it's because I have such a beautiful little baby...anybody know of any modeling agencies! ha ha.

My little ballerinas...and more!

2008-10-02T22:00:00.000-06:00

Last Saturday we took the girls to the circus and had such a good time! The loud and crazy clowns were a little much for me, but it was fun anyway. The elephants and tigers were really neat and the acrobatics were amazing! I don't know if I would go back again, it's a little too silly for me, but I'm so glad we went!
Grace had her first dance class this week and I was just so excited! Alexa has been taking dance for a couple years and she has had such a good time that I wanted Grace to be able to dance, too. I asked Alexa's teacher if she knew of anyone who taught children with disabilities and she offered to teach Grace. Yea! Grace had her first class on Tuesday and was just so cute! I made the girls new tutus and Grace was so excited to get all dressed up just like her big sister. During class she mostly just watched the other girls, but every once in awhile I'd see her move her little feet and she grinned through most of the class. She really enjoyed herself and is excited to go back next week. Their teacher said she was really happy to have Grace in her class and is going to choreograph some of the routines around Grace's abilities.

Alexa's class this year is a little more challenging for her so she is liking it a lot. At her spring recital she won the trophy for the best dancer in her age group and this trophy was just huge! She was so excited and I was a very proud mommy. I love seeing her improve in her abilities and having so much fun doing it. Plus, I think she makes a beautiful little ballerina! (And so does she!)Adelle is getting to be just so much fun! She definitely has a mind of her own and has no problem letting you know who's the boss. Her! She is in constant motion, just like when I was pregnant, and seems about ready to take off crawling. Yesterday she pulled herself up onto her knees and was rocking back and forth. She's so funny because she will be happy one second, then literally out of nowhere she is screaming! Not crying, but just a high-pitched, yelling, do-what-I-want-right-now-or-else scream. She has also become quite an early bird lately. Around 6:45 am each morning she is up and ready to play. She has a loud voice and loves to use it, so she just talks and yells and wakes up the whole house! She usually ends up in bed with Phillip and me sometime during the night (I know, I'm a softie) so when she wakes up she rolls back and forth between us until one of us agrees to play with her. This morning she honked my nose, sucked on my arm, and pulled my hair until I gave her my attention. She is such a sweet baby and I just love having her in our family.Phillip has been in misery this week with kidney stones. Sunday he came home from church not feeling well (I stayed home sick) and after getting worse and worse we ended up in the emergency room around 10:00 pm. They stabilized his pain with an IV then sent us home around 4:00 am. Phillip passed a stone on Tuesday morning and was feeling great most of the day, but then during the night he had a total relapse with a second stone. Yesterday, I think, was his worst day yet, but he has made some improvements today. Poor guy has been absolutely and completely miserable and I feel so sad for him. I'm praying he passes this stone quickly and can get back to normal soon. Alexa and Grace have been so sweet trying to take care of Phillip and keeping him company in bed. When we told Alexa what a good girl she was for taking care of her daddy, she said, "That's why Heavenly Father sent me to you."

The sweetest thing

2008-09-24T07:19:00.000-06:00

I haven't been feeling well this week so yesterday I decided to take a nap while Grace and Adelle were napping. Alexa was so sweet and sat on my bed and colored pictures while I slept, and took good care of her mommy. She would rub my head, sing me lullabies, and made sure I was tucked in nice and snug. I was so grateful that she let me get a nice little rest in, but she couldn't understand why I wasn't all better when I got up! Well, last night I was cleaning my bedroom and I found this note on my bed:

Translation: "I hope you feel better Mommy. From, Alexandra Olson" along with a few #9's. I thought it was so cute that it actually brought tears to my eyes! (That, combined with the fact that I am just so tired!!)

My little star!

2008-09-23T09:04:00.000-06:00

Alexa was chosen to be the "Star Student" for her class this week, so my mom and I made a cute little poster about her life. Thank goodness my mother is so good with things like this because she helped me make Alexa's poster look really nice. Alexa drew a cute picture of our family to put on her poster, and we made a list of her favorite things. These are Alexa's favorite things in the whole wide world:

· Macaroni and Cheese
· The color pink
· The movie, “Barbie in Rapunzel”
· Charlie and Lola cartoons
· The Disney Trivia game
· Playing Frisbee
· Playing with my sister, Gracie
· The songs, “I’m Trying to be Like Jesus” and “I love to see The Temple
· Jell-o with fruit and whipped cream
· Pupcakes (cupcakes)
· My vacations to Wyoming and to the beachGoing to church and having BBQ’s

We also made little strips about her: "My birthday is July 26, 2003", "I have two little sisters; Grace and Adelle", "When I grow up I want to be a mommy and a massage therapist"